After graduating with a diploma in acting from the Guildhall School of Music And Drama, and working as a professional actor, Manuel began his career as a professional photographer when he was asked to research and photograph possible locations for Stanley Kubrick’s last film, Eyes Wide Shut. When he was subsequently offered the opportunity to take publicity photographs for the film, Manuel decided to devote himself exclusively to performing arts photography.

After receiving his first theatre commission from the Royal Shakespeare Company to photograph Matthew Warchus’ production of Yasmin Reza’s The Unexpected Man in 1998 , Manuel steadily built a client list which currently includes the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Old Vic, the Almeida, Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre of Scotland, Chichester Festival Theatre, Stage Entertainment, Headlong, Druid Theatre Galway, Hampstead Theatre, the Royal Court, Cheek by Jowl and the Lyric Hammersmith.